Blu-ray Review – Death Promise

1977's "Death Promise" is a martial arts-infused revenge story that might come across as very familiar to anyone who happens to be a fan of Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill." Perhaps the feature was a direct influence on the 2003 action bonanza, offering a similar tale of vengeance featuring an episodic climb to justice and a to-do list of targets, with the bad guys connected in a secretive chain of evildoing. It's easy to see how Tarantino improved on the idea, but "Death Promise" has a unique perspective of its own, examining the frustrations of life in New York City tenement buildings, where the poor live in squalor while rich landlords toy with the properties and the inhabitants. It's a terrific foundation for a ferocious thriller, and while the production can't exactly wind up all the way due to lack of filmmaking finesse and a lean budget, it does reasonably well as a B-movie offering of karate authority and inventive kills, giving the whole shebang some interesting enthusiasm. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com